Entrance-switch.



C D. FLATT.

ENTRANCE swncu.

APFLHATION FILED MAR. 3,1917.

1. 252,492, Patented Jan. 8, 1918.

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C. D. PLATT.

ENTRANCE SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.3|191I.

1 ,252,492. Patented Jan. 8, 1918.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 8 1918.

Application filed March 3, 1917. Serial na sazse.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLARENCE D. PLa'r'r,

I a citizen of the United States of America,

residing at Bridgeport, Connecticut, have invented a new and usefulEntrance-Switch, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates particularly to an inclosed type of switcl The mainobject is to provide a simple, inexpensive but reliable constructionwhich can be operated under normal; circumstances either with the boxopen or closed, but which can be locked in the open circuit position.Another object is to provide such a construction with means forautomatic opening of the circuit when the box is opened. An-

to provide for the automatic opening of the circuit when the box isclosed.

rovide a construction, the parts of which can be very readily assembled.

I In its preferred form the invention is illustrated in the accompanyingtwo sheets of drawings in which- Figure 1, is a front view of theconstruction of my invention, the box being shown closed and locked withthe parts in the open circuit position. This also shows a meterattached.

Fig. 2, is a side view of the construction embodying my invention. 'Theswitch handlev is shown in full lines in the open circuit position andin dotted lines in the closed circuit position. v

Fig. 3, is a side view showing the operating handle in the closedcircuit position and the box open.

Fig. 4, is a front view on a larger scale showing the switch in the opencircuit position and the box open.

' 11 and 12 are suitably secured to the base.

Fig. 5, is a vertical section on the plane of the line 5-5, of Fig. 4:.Fig. 6, is a perspective view of the movable switch member, part beingbroken away.

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view showlng the movable switch member andstationary contacts in the closed circuit position.

The insulating base 10 carries all the conducting parts of the switchexcept the movable switch member. Stationary contacts and provided withbinding screws 11 and 12' respectively. The other stationary'com.

tacts 13 and 14 are secured to the base by the screws 15 and 16wh1ch toprovide for a quick. greak of the circuit. Another object is to the'topof the cross bar members 29 and 30 down constitute the center contactsfor the usual fuse plugs. The screw sockets 17 and 18 for the fuse plugsare electrically connected to the members 19 and 20 which are providedwith blnding screws 19 and 21. The stationary contacts of the switch arepreferably mounted in recesses such as 22 and 23.' The insulating baseis preferably mounted in a box consisting of the body portion 25 andcover 26 hinged thereto. The base'may be secured to the bottom of thebox by means for instance of screws such as 27.

The movable switch member consists of an insulating cross bar 28carrying the laminated arch-shaped contacts 29 and 30.. U- shapedsprings 31 and 32 hav'e their front ends inserted in the ends of thecrossbar 28 and their rear arms pressing against the front face of theback of the box. Lugs such as 33 may be employed to assist in preventingoutward movement of these springs. The sides of'the insulating baseserve to prevent movement of the springs toward each other. Theoperating handle 34 is provided with a shaft 35 which extends throughthe sides of the box and is provided with an off-set crank portion 36.The springs 31 and 32 press the cross bar outward so that it pressesagainst the shaft and its off-set portion 36. In'the open circuitposition the tension of the springs holds the shaft in sucha positionthat the handle 34: presses against the stop 37. a The switch is closedby moving the handle from full line position in Fig. 2 to the dottedline position, that is, by pulling the handle downward. This actionrotates the shaft 35 and the oif-set36' presses against 28 and forcesthe two movable switch into contact respectively with the contact plates11, 13 and 12, I l as shown in Fig. 7. In coming to this position thehandle strikes against the shoulder 38 carried by the cover 26 which ishinged to the box 25. The tension of the springs 31, 32 holds the handlein this position when the cover is closed. A plate 40 may be provided onthe upper surface of' the cross bar 28 to take up the wear due to thefriction of the operating the switch.

. Preferably there is an insulating barrier sitely movable switchmembers and 30.

off-set 36 in The lower insulating member 43 serves to prevent themovable switch member from falling downward when the parts are beingassembled and the insulating shoulders 44 and 45 serve as stops to limitthe upward movement of the cross bar 28. ,The handle and shaft areheld'in place by the cotter pin 46. By removing this cotter pin thehandle and shaft may be readily withdrawn.

This releases the movable switch member which may be taken out withoutthe use of any ,tools. The parts are of course assembled in reverseorder. When the shaft is inserted and the handle is operated to closethe switch, the movement of the off-set 36 is suflicient to force thecross bar and the movable switch contacts into their proper places.

The switch. may be locked when in the open circuit position by meansof apadlock '47 whose hasp passes around the handle and through the flange48. The handle may also be secured in the open circuit position by meansof a seal and wire 49 passing through the opening 50 in the flange 48and through the opening 51 in the cover.

When the circuit is closed and the switch handle in the dotted positionof Fig. 2, the opening of the cover 26 and the movement with it of theshoulder 38 forces the switch handle upwardly to such a point that. theoff-set 36 is aflected by the springs 31 and 32 so as to throw theswitch open with a snap; action.

\Vhen the box is open of course the switch may be operated'by hand butif by accident the switch is left closed when the cover'is open, theclosing of the cover from the posi- 1 the conduit 54 and being connectedto the lower switch contacts.

The ,upper switch contacts are conveniently connected to the meterthrough the'bushing 55 and the wires from the meter lead back into thebox' through the bushing 56 and then out through conduit 57. Thisprevents tampering with switch contacts insulating cross bar, archshaped switch con ta-cts'carried by said cross bar, said base havinginsulating pro ections on the face thereof forming guides for said crossbar, springs for pressing said cross bar away from said base, anoperating shaft having an ofiset engaging said cross bar and stops forlimiting the movement of said operating shaft.

. 2'. In a switch construction, stationaryand movable switch members, abox inclosing the same comprising a body and a hinged cover, a shaft foroperating the movsulating portions, stationary switch contacts mountedon opposite sides of said upper and lower insulating portlons, aninsulatlng cross bar movable between the upper and lower insulatingportions, switch contacts carried by said movable member at oppositesides of said upper and lower insulating portions for coacting with thestationary switch contacts, spring means for pressing said insulatingmember away-from said base and hand operated means for pressing saidmember and the contacts carried thereby toward said base. I

4. In a switch construction, thecombination of a box having forwardlyprojecting guides, an insulating base located between said guides butspaced apart therefrom, stationary contacts carried by said base,movable contacts, an insulating cross bar carrying said movablecontacts, U-shaped spring arms connected to said cross bar and held inposition between said base and. said guides, and means for operatingsaid cross bar and the switch contacts carried thereby.

5. In a switch construction, the combination of-an insulating base,stationary contacts carried thereby, spaced insulating projections on,the insulating base at opposite sides of the cross bar for guidingsaidcross bar with relation to said base, movable switch contactscarried by said cross bar, an

operating shaft having an offset portion for operating said cross bar inone direction and springs for operating said cross bar in the oppositedirection.

6. In a switch construction, stationary and movable switch members, aboxfor inclosing the same comprising a body and a hinged cover, anoperating shaft extending through said box and having a handle outsideof said box, a shoulder carried by the cover in position to move theoperating han dle from the closed circuit position toward the opencircuit position when the cover is being opened with the switch closed,and a flange carried bvthe cover'in a position to engage the handle whenthe cover is open for the purpose of moving the handle from v crossbarandeach having one end connected 7 the closed circuit position towardthe open circuit position. j

7. In a switch of the character set forth,

.an insulating base having spaced projections on the face thereofforming a guide channel, a cross bar, guided in said channehcontactscarried. by said cross bar,' relatively .sta-

ti'onary' contacts on the base adapted to be bridged by said contacts onthe cross bar, U- shaped springs at the opposite endsof the with thecrossbar and its opposite end bearing against a'relatively stationarysupport,

' v and means for forcing the cross bar inward 15 against the tension ofsaid U-shaped springs. 8. Ina switch of the character set forth,

an insulating base having spaced projections on'the face thereof formina guide channel, a cross bar guided in sai channel,

contacts carried by said cross bar, relatively stationary contacts onthe base adapted to be bridged by said contacts on the cross bar,

U-shaped springs at the opposite ends of thecross bar and each havingone end connected with'the cross bar and its opposlte end bearingagainst a relatively stationary support,

actuating the switch operating means in the closing movement of thecover.

CLARENCE D. PLAT'I.

